Separable fastener



Jan. 14, 1936. E, O SEAVER SEPARABLE FASTENER Original Filed Nov. 10, 1931 IN VEN TOR.

gillioi' O.Seave1:

Patented Jan. 14, 1936 SEPARABLE ms'rrmzn Elliot 0. Seaver, Meadville, Pa., assignor to Hookless Fastener Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 10, 1931, Serial No. 574,058 Renewed September 20, 1934 13 Claims. (Cl. 24- -2o5) My invention relates to multiple interlocking fasteners and particularly to a separable end connection for such fasteners.

The invention of this application is an improvement over the separable end connection described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,830,077, issued to me November 3, 1931,-and the general construetion and principle of operation of thepresent device is the same as described in said patent.

The main features of improvement in the present application are the novel construction of the male element or pin side of the connection, and the provision of an effective and reliable anchor member for holding the socket member more firmly in position. Greater facility of insertion of the pin through the slider and into engagement with the socket is obtained by providing suitable guidesurfaces on the pin or male element. a

The results and advantages of my invention will appear more fully during the course of the following specification and the novelty will be defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown for purposes of illustration, one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice. "In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a face view of one end of a multiple interlocking fastener equipped with my improved separable end connection;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in a position during insertion of the pin member into the socket, a part of the slider being cut away to facilitate illustration;

Fig. 3 is a view of the end of the socket carrying stringer detached from the other stringer;

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detached view of the stringer carrying the male or pin elements;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the pin elements on the stringer;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view on line 'l'| of Fig. 1;

b Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the socket mem- Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view through the pin member on line 9-9 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the sheet metal blank forming the pin member partially folded; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the end of the pin carrying stringer showing the pin member just before the final folding operation.

The invention is herein illustrated in association with a slider and fastener of the general type disclosed in the Sundback Patent 1,219,881, March 20, 1917. Such fastener comprises flexible fabric stringers 8, 9 with beaded edges IO, M respectively, havingattached thereto the interlocking elements l2. These elements have projections and recesses on opposite sides and are adapted to be progressively engaged and disengaged by movement of a slider l3 along the stringers from one end to the other of the fastener, such slider being actuated by a convenient pull tab M. The slider comprises a pair of flat metal wing por-= tions 15 joined by a V-shaped neck it, at one end. The edges of the wings are turned inwardly and the wings. are of such shape as to provide an interior Y-shaped channel which is common practice in the art. At the junction 'of the diverging branches of the channel there is a more or less sharp corner IT! (see Fig. 2) to which attention will be later on directed, in describing the engagement and disengagement of my improved end connection.

As in my above mentioned patent, the separable 'nd connection comprises a socket member having an intermediate open-topped socket portion l8 projecting outwardly from the edge of the socket carrying stringer and spaced pairs of at taching jaws I9, clinched around the beaded edge of the stringer 8. As described in the above patent this member is adapted to be formed out of sheet metal with the jaws I9, 20 folded in one direction and the plates 2 I, 22 (see Fig. 4) folded in the other direction and turned inwardly to define the longitudinally extending socket 23 which is elongate in the direction of the length of its stringer. alignment with the socket to provide a stop for the pin element.

The anchor member is stamped out of sheet A projection 24 is bent outwardly in metal and bent around the folded end 26 of the socket carrying stringer. This anchor member has an aperture 21 for receiving a portion of the rivet preferably applied through the anchor memher and the article to which the fastener is attached.

The pin side of the connection may be generally described as two portions 3l, 32, the latter of which may also be referred to as a stiffening stringer 9 independently of one another so that the stringer can readily flex between them as shown in Fig. 2. The inner surface 33 of the member 32 is concavely curved to facilitate passage around the corner II of the slider as illustrated in Fig. 2. The pin member ii is elongate in the direction of the stringer l and curved outwardly or convexly throughout its longitudinal extent in order that its lower end is set inwardly from the edge of the stringer thus providing an inclined outer edge 84 to facilitate insertion and removal of the male element of the connection. The member 3| is made from a sheet metal blank which, as shown in Fig. 10, comprises opposed flat portions 35 adapted to be folded around the turned up end 36 of the tape stringer, one of which side portions is provided with a clincher 31 adapted to penetrate the fabric and be clinched around the opposite side. The portions 35 also have holes 38 adapted to receive a rivet for secure attachment to the article. A plurality of clinchers 39 extend laterally from one end of the portion 35 adapted to be clinched around the cord edge of the stringer as shown in Fig. 11, prior to folding over of the extension in, which is shaped during folding to a curved form as above described. The extension 40 has a plurality of serrations ll which are all bent together to make a smooth rounded end.

In' use, when it is desired to disengage the parts, the slider is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the stringer 9 is pulled upwardly to disengage the pin from the socket. On account of the V-neek IS in the central part of the slider, the pin element must move in a curved path around the corner l1 and it will be readily apparent that the concavely curved edge 33 on the member 32 will enable that member to pass more readily around the comer i'l. Furthermore, the inclination or curvature of the member 3! will facilitate entry and removal of the pin member because the curved surface will strike the wall of the socket and act as a guide while the pin member is being inserted, or removed.

As a result of my invention it will be observed that the parts, while madevery strong and relatively tight fitting, can be engaged and disengaged smoothly and easily. Furthermore, the

socket member by reason of the anchor member 25 will be prevented from being torn from the stringer under severe strain. While I have in this application specifically shown and described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purposes of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the following claims.

WhatIclaimasmyinventionis:

1. In a multiple interlocking fastener adapted to be separated at its ends, a pair of flexible stringers, cooperating series of interlocking elements attached to adjacent edges of said string ers, a slider movable along said stringers to engage and disengage said elements, a separable end connection for said stringers comprising -means forming a socket attached to one stringer,

and a tube-like pin member clamped around the edge of the other stringer adapted to be inserted longitudinally through said slider and into said socket, said pin member being curved convexly at its outer edge throughout its longitudinal exmember, these members are attached to the tent to facilitate engagement of said pin member in said socket.

2'; In a multiple interlocking fastener adapted to be separated at its ends, a pair of flexible stringers, cooperating series of interlocking elements attached to adjacent edges of said stringers, a slider movable along said stringers to engage and disengage said elements, a separable end connection for said stringers comprising means forming a socket attached to one stringer, and means on the edge of the other stringer to form a connection with said Iqcket including stiffening means having its inner edge concavely curved to facilitate insertion and removal through the slider into and out of engagement with said socket.

3. In a multiple interlocking fastener adapted to be separated at its ends. a pair of flexible stringers, cooperating series of interlocking elements attached to adjacent edges of said stringers, a slider movable along said stringers to engage and disengage said elements, a separable end connection for said stringers comprising means forming a socket attached to one stringer, and a plurality of tube-like pin members clamped around the edge of the other stringer, the lowermost pin member being convexly curved at its outer edge throughout its longitudinal extent to facilitate insertion and removal through the slider into and out of engagement with the socket.

4. In a multiple interlocking fastener adapted to be separated at its ends, a pair of flexible stringers, cooperating series of interlocking elements attached to adjacent edges of said stringers, a slider movable along said stringers to engage and disengage said elements, a separable end connection for said stringers comprising means forming a socket attached to one stringer, and a plurality of tube-like pin members attached to the other stringer, the lowermost pin member having its outer edge convexly curved and the other pin having its inner edge concavely curved.

5. In a multiple interlocking fastener adapted to be separated at its ends, a pair of flexible stringers, cooperating series of interlocking elements attached to adjacent edges of said stringers, and a separable end connection for said stringers comprising a socket forming member attached to the edge of one stringer, cooperating means on the other stringer adapted to be inserted longitudinally into said socket and to be retained therein, and an anchor member .comprising a separate piece having a socket portion engaged over the lower portion of said socket member and firmly attached to the lower end of the socket carrying stringer.

6. In a multiple interlocking fastener, the combination set forth in claim 5 in which said socket member has an intermediate socket portion extending outwardly from the edge of the stringer and pairs of Jaws at opposite ends of said socket portion.

'7. In a multiple interlocking fastener, a pair of flexible stringers, cooperating series of interlocking elements attached to adjacent edges of said stringer, and a separable end connection for said stringers comprising a socket member on one stringer and a pin member on the other stringer adapted to be inserted longitudinally into engagement with the socket on the opposite stringer, said socket member having a projection bent out from the edge of the socket carrying stringer into alignment with said socket to form a stop for said pin member, and an anchor member engaged over said projection and secured to the edge of the socket carrying stringer.

8. In a multiple interlocking fastener, the combination set forth in claim 7 in which said anchor member is of sheet metal construction and in which the end of the socket is folded over and clinched between the folded sides of said anchor member.

9. In a multiple interlocking fastener adapted to be separated at its ends, a pair of flexible stringers, cooperating series of interlocking elements attached to adjacent edges of said stringers, and a separable end connection for said stringers comprising a socket member attached to one stringer and a pin member on the other stringer adapted to be engaged with said socket member, said pin member comprising opposed fiat portions adapted to be folded around the end of the pin carrying stringer, one of said portions having clinchers adapted to be clinched around the edge of the stringer, and a sheet metal extension on the other portion folded around said clinchers and having an approximately tubular shape.

10. In a multiple interlocking fastener to be separated at its ends, a pair offlexible stringers, cooperating series of interlocking elements attached to adjacent edges of said stringers, a slider movable along said stringers to engage and disengage said elements, and a separable end connection for said stringers comprising means forming a socket attached to one stringer and a plurality of tube-like pin members clamped around the edge of the other stringer; the pin member nearest said interlocking elements having its inner edge coneavely curved to facilitate insertion through said slider.

ll. A separable fastener comprising a pair of stringers having opposed series of interlocking fastener elements, a slider for moving the opposed series of elements into and out of engagement, and a separable end stop comprising independent members attached to the opposite stringers respectively, one of said stop members being provided with a socket elongate in the direction of the length of the stringer and open at its top end and the other of said stop members comprising a pin elongate in the direction of the length of the stringer and adapted to seat in said open-topped socket by downward movement of the pin, said pin being curved longitudinally substantially from one end to the, other to facilitate its passage through the slider.

12. A separable end stop for use in a separable fastener of the kind having a pair of stringers provided with opposed series of interengageable fastener elements, and a slider having channels for said series and adapted to move the series into and out of engagement, said end stop comprising independent interlocking members attached to the opposite stringers respectively, each of said members consisting of a unitary piece of sheet metal, one of said members being bent to provide an open-topped socket elongate in the direction of the length of the stringer, and the other of said members being bent to provide a pin elongate in the direction of the stringer, the pin being curved longitudinally substantially from one end to the other to facilitate its passage through the slider channel.

13; A fastener of the classdescribed adapted to be completely separated at both ends, said fastener comprising a pair of stringers, a series of fastener elements on each stringer, a slider for moving the opposite series of fastener elements ing elongate in the direction of the length of the respective stringers, the pin member being curved in a longitudinal direction sub :tantially from one end to the other. ELLIOT O. SEAVER.

I into and out of engagement, and a separable end connection for the stringers comprising a socket 

